Railroad gar truck bolster



April 20, 1954 K. M. HAMILTON 2,675,765

RAILROAD CAR TRUCK BOLSTER STABILIZER Filed July 20, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Karl fiUfam'z' Z for;

FIG-l0 I Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE RAILROAD TRUCK BOLSTER STABILIZER Claims. 1

My invention relates to trucks for railroad cars and more particularly to the truck bolster construction involving stabilizing mechanisms adapted to dampen the oscillations of the truck bolster load springs and to control bolster lateral movements; said mechanisms being operatively associated with the ends of a spring supported truck bolster and the transoms or the truck side frame immovable portions disposed at opposite sides or adjacent the ends of the bolster.

The invention more specifically stated, involves a combining of some of the constructions and operations shown and described in my pending stabilizing applications, Serial Numbers 569,861, now Patent Number 2,583,144, and 679,327, now Patent Number 2,661,703, together with new applications of construction and operation into a simple efiicient structure that mechanically produces simultaneous equalized constant-variable friction shoe pressures.

The invention involves truck bolsters provided adjacent their ends with suitable pockets or chambers having openings through the bolster sides and also through the bottom floor and these pockets are provided with transversely slidable friction shoes or blocks whose outer faces are adapted to efiect frictional contacts with the bolster top wall and with fixed wear plates on immovable portions of the truck assembly through the action of a single specially operated wedge element that has simultaneous constantvariable spring pressures.

One object of my invention is the provision of a design and operation of the wedge member with its associated extension and pressure members; the wedge being of box-like formation, with a flat top, an open bottom and angular outwardly and downwardly sloping outer faces which contact corresponding angular inner faces of the friction shoes and force these members into bolster top floor and wear plate contacts, and extending downwardly from the wedge top floor may be pedestals or extensions that are pressure contacted by a vertically extending member that projects through an opening in the constant friction spring supporting plate and is seated on the top of a variable friction spring which is supported on or by the load spring supporting portion of the truck assembly. This last mentioned association and construction of parts produces variable Wedge pressure on the frictionshoes,

Another object of my invention is the design and application of a constant friction spring supporting plate which is positioned in contact with a recessed portion in the bolster floor and is supported and maintained flush with the bolster bottom by a contacting or seating of this plate on portions of the truck bolster load springs; centrally of the plate is arranged an opening for the passage of a variable friction springer a variable friction spring wedge extension member and at each end of the plate may be vertical extending portions arranged for insertion into suitable .slots which may be provided for in the bolster floor. These vertical extensions may have associated means for securing the plate and supported spring to the bolster for assembly purposes, the inner extending portion may have integral self-retaining means and the outer extending portion may have retaining means ex'- ternally applied; the friction spring supported by this plate may encircle the wedge or friction spring pedestal extending portions and is in constant pressure contact with wedge member top floor; and this assembly produces constant wedge pressure.

Inasmuch as allowable tolerances in truck side frames, bolsters and associated stabilizing parts make possible their assembly, along with variable types of friction springs, into trucks that have insufficient light car stabilization, I provide for stabilization that ensures, under all applications and conditions, sufficient light car frictional pressure with the obtaining of additional friction pressure demanded by added weight iii a car, namely, a combination of constant-'\ "a'ri able friction which provides a constant shoe pressure over the load springs entire range, with the added pressure obtained by a variable spring made operative as lading is added to a car body.

The objects and advantages of m invention will be more readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a part top and part bottom view of a bolster end with parts of both the bolster and stabilizing device shown in full and dotted lines. The lan at the right of the vertical center line is a bottom view with the pocket walls and. reinforcing ribs 'in dotted lines along with the load springs; the constant spring supporting plate is in run lines; the view at the left of the vertical center line is a top plan of the bolster and stabilizing parts, part in full lines and part in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of Figure l and shows the bolster with the stabilizing parts in operating position.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3'-3 in Figure l and shows a section of a bolster 3 with the stabilizing parts in operating position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the constant friction spring supporting plate.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of Figure 4 and shows the vertical end extension with hole for application of a retaining cotter.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the opposite end of Figure 4 showing the vertical extendin end provided with a T head for insertion into a slotted opening in the bolster bottom.

Figure 7 is a top elevation of the variable spring extension member with the T head arranged for,

interlocking with the wedge member.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the wedge downwardly extending pendant with the rectangular opening for receiving the T head of the variable spring extension member.

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the variable spring extension T head member.

Figure 10 is a plan view showing the inner opening in the bolster bottom floor to receive the T head of the spring supporting plate.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line llii of Figure 1 showing the bolster and stabilizing parts in full release position.

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines l2i2 of Figure 1 showing the bolster and stabilizing parts in full release position.

In order to receive my improved stabilizing means the bolsters, a portion of which is shown at 20, adjacent its ends is of box-like 0r hollow construction and provided at each end with a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of longitudinally spaced Webs or transverse partitions M as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and in full lines in Figure 3, to provide a plane four walled pocket therebetween, which is open at opposite sides of the bolster. The bottom of the pocket is provided with a central bottom opening 22; and surrounding this bottom floor opening and of predetermined contour and dimension is a recessed portion for the application and seating of a closure member or constant friction spring supporting plate 23. This plate 23 bears upwardly against the door portion of the recess and seats flush with the bolster bottom where it is maintained by the truck bolster load springs 24.

The bolster side wall at the periphery of the side openings preferably is oifset as at 25 to receive the flanged outer ends of the shoes 26; the flanged shoe ends provide additional hearing or frictional wearing surfaces to the shoes.

As both shoes or friction blocks 26 are identical, a description of one will suffice; these blocks or shoes being preferably hollow rectangular castings with flat tops and plane vertical outer faces, while their inner end faces are upwardly and inwardly inclined. The bottoms may be offset as shown in Figure 2 to accommodate the bolster pocket reinforcing rib 20a.

These blocks 26 (one in each end of the pocket) are inserted from opposite sides of the bolster and cooperate with an intermediate wedge element or block 21 as shown in Figure 2. The transverse pocket forming walls, coincident with the shoe receiving ends of the pockets, have holes 28 adapted to temporarily receive dowels or pins when the friction blocks are retracted and the,

shown in Figure 2. The wedge member 21 preferably has a fiat top, an open bottom and downwardly and outwardly sloping ends arranged in engagement with the corresponding inner sloping ends of the friction shoes 26 so that when the wedge member moves upwardly it will force the shoes upwardly into contact with the bolster top and outwardly into contact with the usual wear plates on adjacent immovable portions of the truck assembly.

The top wall of the wedge block 2? may have a hollow portion 01' pendant 29 as shown in Figure 2 and the bottom of the pendant provided with a slot to receive the T head of a suspended friction spring pressure receiving cap portion 30, a bottom view of which is shown in Figure 8. This cap portion 39, of predetermined height, is seated on the top of the variable friction spring 3| which in turn is supported on or by the usual load spring supporting means of the truck, not shown.

The constant spring seating plate 23, with its upwardly extending arms 23a and T head arm 23b (which extends through suitable slots in the bolster bottom) provides means for retaining the associated relation of the elements during bolster installation and handling and maintain the proper positioning of the elements, whereby the eifect of the variable spring section 3| may be transmitted to the pendant 29 of the wedge block or member 21, as the load on the truck increases,

' outer slot as shown at Ziid in Figure l.

rotated to an applying position, the T-head of the shoes 26.

The bolster bottom 20c may be provided with an angularly disposed inner slot 20b preferably formed as in Figure 10 and a straight rectangular The angular slot 2% is adapted for passage of the T-head portion of extension or arm 23?) of plate 23 so that when the extension 23b is inserted into the angular or long portion of floor slot 201) and extension 23?) will extend over an interior part of the straight or lesser length portion of slot 20b and thereby provide supporting means for the inner end of plate 23, the rotating of plate 23 positions the outer extension 23a in line with a bolster floor receiving slot 26d, and when plate 23 with its supported friction spring 34 is moved upwardly the hole in extension 23a projects above the interior of the bolster floor thereby permitting the insertion of a cotter 32 or other means and thus plate 23 and spring 35 .are held in a suspended position for bolster handling or for application to truck assemblies.

The arm or plate extension 23a is disposed toward the open end of the bolster as shown at the left hand end in Figures 3 and 12 and this enables the pin insertion from the bolster exterior. The constant spring supporting plate 23 normally is maintained flush with the bolster bottom through the action of the bolster load carrying springs 24.

The structure described, as is apparent, enables the force of the variable spring 3i to be transmitted to the wedge block 2? through the medium of the pendant portions of the wedge block and which depend through central opening 230 in the bottom of constant spring supporting plate 23 after the latter has been seated (through the action of the bolster supporting springs) in the opening in the bolster bottom.

The constant spring supporting plate 23 is preferably rectangular in contour and is arranged to seat on one or more of the load carry ing springs; it is provided with a centrally positioned opening arranged to permit insertion and operation of the variable friction spring cap or wedge extension member 38.

To assemble the stabilizer the wedge member 21 is inserted through one end of a bolster pocket and placed across the bolster bottom floor opening 22; the friction shoes 26, 26 are then placed in the pockets through their respective ends and the inner end of the shoes are held in retracted position against the wedge block 27 by inserting pins or dowels through the registering openings in the pocket walls and in the shoes, so as to hold the shoes retracted during spring assembly.

The constant friction spring 34 is inserted through the bolster floor opening 22 and about the pendant 29 and into pressing relation with the top wall of the wedge block 21. The spring supporting plate 23 is then placed in position with its upstanding vertical end extensions 23a and 23b inserted through the bolster floor slots and the plate with the constant spring held in place by means previously described.

The Variable spring vertical extending member 30 is inserted through the opening 230 provided in the spring supporting plate 23. The friction shoes 26, 25 are held by means of dowels in a retracted position to permit the application of bolsters with contained stabilizing parts into truck side frames or between transom members. The load carrying spring with the variable friction springs are positioned on the spring seating portion of the truck assembly and the truck bolsters are lowered to where the constant friction spring supporting plate is seated on the tops of the load springs.

A car body is then placed on a pair of assembled trucks and bolsters. The weight of the car body is sufficient to compress the constant friction spring upon positioning of the spring supporting plate, which effects the operative relation between the wedge block and the friction shoes. As the bolster with the wedge moves downward, the upward pressure of the variable spring, through the medium of the pendant member or means, will be transmitted to the wedge block and variable spring pressure thereby transmitted to the wedge block.

I have shown and described what I believe to be the best embodiment of m invention in terms employed as terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the oembination'of a truck side frame with a bolster receiving opening having side columns, bolster supporting springs arranged in the bottom ofsaid opening; a bolster whose ends rest on said supporting springs, provided with transversely disposed pockets at the ends and open at the sides of the bolster and with a central opening in each pocket through the bolster bottom; a pair of friction blocks having upwardly and inwardly sloping inner ends, operable in the ends of each pocket and arranged to frictionally engage the truck frame columns and bolster top floor; a hollow vertically movable wedge block arranged over the central opening in each pocket and having sloping outer ends matching and in contact with the inner ends of the friction blocks whereby upward movement of said wedge block will force the outer ends of the friction block at both end of each pocket outwardly through the open ends of the pockets into frictional contact with said side 6. columns; a removable spring. supporting member for the pocket bottom opening, supported by the bolster load supporting springs and having a central opening; a vertically arranged coil spring, seated on and supported by said supporting member, with its upper end in upward pressure exerting relation with the top of said wedge block; an upward pressure exerting spring arranged in the side fram opening beneath'the bolster; pedestal means disposed upwardly through said spring supporting member central opening and operatively intermediate the Wedge block top-and said last mentioned spring whereby variable upward pressure is exertedon said wedge block.

2. In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck with load carrying springs; a bolster supported by said springs, provided with transversely disposed pockets at the ends with openings at the bolster sides and an opening in the bottom of the bolster in each pocket; a hollow wedge block with upwardly and inwardly sloping ends positioned over said bottom opening in each pocket; friction blocks arranged I in the pockets on each side of the wedge blocks and having inner ends matching and in contact with the sloping ends of the wedge block; a spring supporting member seatable in each bottom opening flush with the bolster bottom adapted to be supported in seated position by said load springs and provided with an opening into the bottom of the wedge block; a coil spring arranged in upward bearing relation with the top of each wedge block and seated on said spring supporting member" for providing constant pressure on the wedge and friction blocks; a second coil spring seated in the truck beneath said spring supporting member and pedestal means disposed upwardly through said supporting member opening into wedge block contact and seated on said second spring whereby variable and increasing upward pressure on the wedge block is obtained and increasing pressure on the friction block provided as the bolster load increases.

3. In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck assembly with load carrying springs; a bolster, supported bysaid springs, provided at its ends with transversely disposed pockets open at the bolster sides and each pocket having an opening through the bottom of the bolster; a hollow wedge block with an open bottom and upwardly and inwardly sloping ends positioned in each bolster pocket over the bottom opening and having a pendant portion on its interior integral with the top of the block; friction blocks in each pocket on each side of the wedge member with inner ends matching and in contact with the sloping ends of the wedge block; a spring supporting member for each bolsterbottom opening seatable in a recess on the lower side of the bolster bottom, adapted to be supported in operative position by said load springs and provided with an access permitting cpening into the wedge block, means associated with each spring sup porting member whereby the latter is suspendedly held to the bolster bottom when the latter is out of contact with the loadcarrying springs; a constant pressure exerting spring arranged within the wedge block in upward bearing relation with said wedge black top and seated on said spring supporting member; a variable pressure providing spring seated in the truck assembly beneath said spring supporting member; and means, reg movably suspended from the wedge blockpendant seated on said last mentioned springand disposed in each bolster pocket over the bottom opening;

friction blocks in each pocket on each side of the wedge block, the wedge block and inner ends of the friction blocks having matching pressure contacting surfaces; a spring seating member for each bolster bottom opening adapted to be supported in closed position flush with the bolster bottom by certain of the load carrying springs and provided with an access opening into the wedge block; a spring arranged Within the wedge block in upward bearing relation with the top of said block and seated on said spring supporting member for exerting constant pressure on the wedge and friction blocks; a vertically disposed second spring seated in the truck and spaced beneath said spring supporting member; and pedestal means seated on said last mentioned spring, extending upwardly through said access opening and into operative relation with said wedge and friction blocks whereby variable upward pressure on said wedge block is exerted and governed by bolster loadings.

5. In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck assembly with load carrying springs and friction shoe contacting wear plates; a bolster supported by said springs and provided at each end with a transversely disposed pocket open at the bolster sides and with an opening in the bolster bottom; a hollow wedge block with an open bottom in each bolster pocket and positioned over the bolster bottom opening and having upwardly and inwardly sloping ends; a pendant within each wedge block associated with the wedge block top; a spring supporting member for the bolster bottom opening provided with an opening through which the pendant extends; a coil spring in the wedge block disposed about the pendant and seated on said spring supporting member and exerting upward pressure on the top wall of the wedge block; a friction block slidably mounted in said pockets on each side of and in contact with the wedge bloc arranged to extend through openings in the bolster sides and into friction engagement with said wear plates; means for maintaining said spring supporting member in place; and a coil spring seated beneath the bolster in the truck assembly and adapted to exert variable upward pressure on said associated spring and wedge pendant whereby the wedge and friction blocks are placed under increasing outward pressure as the bolster load increases.

6. In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck with load carrying springs; a bolster supported by said springs, provided with transversely disposed pockets open at the bolster sides and each pocket having an opening through the bolster bottom; a hollow wedge block with an open bottom seated in the bolster over each bottom opening and having downwardly and outwardly sloping sides; a vertically disposed constant pressure spring arranged in the wedge block; a spring supporting member for the bolster bottom opening for supporting said last mentioned spring; said spring supporting member at opposite ends having upstanding arms spaced to extend beyond the side walls of the pocket and to pass through registering openings in the bolster bottom, at least one of said arms at the upper end having an offset head adapted to pass through the bolster opening when the spring supporting member is out of register with its opening in the bolster bottom and to effect interengaging relation with the bolster bottom when the spring supporting member is brought to register with its opening and removable means for the other arm whereby the spring supporting member with the superposed constant pressure spring is supported in pendent position beneath the bolster during bolster assembly and the constant spring held out of pressure exerting position; a, friction block slidably mounted in said pocket on each side of the wedge block adapted to be moved into frictional relation with a non-moving part of the truck; a variable pressure spring mounted in the truck assembly beneath the bolster; and pedestal like means operatively connected with said wedge block and seated on said variable pressure spring and arranged to exert increasing upward pressure on said wedge block as the bolster load increases.

'7. In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck with load carrying springs; a bolster supported by said springs and provided with transversely disposed pockets at the ends and open at the bolster sides with an opening through the bolster bottom; a hollow wedge member with downwardly outward sloping sides seated intermediate the bolster side openings over the bolster bottom opening and provided centrally with a pendent portion secured to the wedge block top and having a lower end arranged to extend beneath the bolster; a springsupporting member for said bottom opening secured to the bottom of the bolster and having a central opening for passage of the lower end of said pendent portion therethrough; a coil spring arranged in the wedge bloc-k about said pendent portion in pressing relation with the top of the wedge block and seated on said spring-supporting member; a coil spring seated in the truck and in upward bearin relation with the lower end of said pendent portion for exerting variable upward pressure on the wedge block; and a pair of friction blocks in the pocket on each side of the wedge bl0ckin contact therewith-said friction blocks being slidable through the bolster pocket side openings to frictionally engage a non-movable portion of the truck.

8; In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck with load carrying springs seated in said truck beneath the bolster; a bolster supported by said springs and provided with transversely disposed pockets at the ends and open at the bolster sides with an opening through the bolster bottom; a hollow wedge block with sembly; a. second vertically disposed coil spring seated in the truck beneath the bolster; means intermediate said second spring and the wedge block top whereby the upward pressure of said second spring will be directly transmitted to said wedge block as the bolster load increases; and friction blocks arranged on each side of the wedge block adapted to extend through the bolster side openings and effect frictional contact with a non-movable part of the truck.

9'. In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck assembly with wear plates and load carrying springs seated in said truck beneath the bolster; a bolster supported by said springs and provided with transversely disposed straight walled pockets at the ends and open at the bolster sides with an opening through the bolster bottom; a hollow wedge block with downward outwardly sloping ends and closed top and seated within the pocket over the bolster bottom opening and having an open bottom and a centrally disposed pendant extending from the top wall of the wedge block. and over said bottom opening; a centrally apertur'ed spring supporting closure member for said bolster bottom opening supported on said lead springs flush with the lower face of the bolster bottom; vertically aligned friction springs. consisting of a vertically disposed coil spring arranged about the pendant in the wedge block in non-varying constant pressing relation with the top wall of the wedge block and seated on said spring supporting member; a second coil springseated in the truck assembly beneath the bolster; pedestal means seated on said second spring, extending upwardly through said spring supporting member into associated yieldingv contact with said pendant to provide direct variable pressure on said wedge block as the bolster load increases without affecting the constant pressure condition of the first mentioned spring; and. friction blocks, with sloping straight faced inner ends matching. the wedge block ends arranged in the bolster pockets on each side of the wedge blocks in contact therewith and adapted to extend through the side openings in the bolster to eiiect frictional contact with said wear plates of the truck assembly.

10. In a. railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck assembly with shoe contacting surfaces and load carrying springs seated in said truck beneath the bolster; a bolster supported. by said load springs and provided with transversely disposed pockets at the ends and open at the bolster sides with an opening through the bolster bottom; a hollow Wedge block with downward outwardly sloping sides and seated within the pocket over the bolster bottom opening and having an open bottom; a spring supporting member for said bolster bottom openingsupported bysaid lead springs and. provided with an opening; a vertically disposed constant pressure exerting spring arranged within said hollow wedge block and seated on said spring supporting member; friction blocks with sloping inner ends movably arranged in the bolster pockets on each side of said wedge block in pressure contact therewith and adapted to extend through the bolster side openings and effect frictional engagement with the top wall of the bolster pocket andwith said shoe contacting surfaces of the bolster, a second coil spring positioned externally of and below the bolster and a pedestal", with which said secondspring contacts, projectirrg upwardly through said spring supporting member into operative relation with said wedge block and -10 providing increasing wedge pressure as the bolster load increases.

11. In a railway car truck provided with springsupporting means, load springs seated on said means, and a bolster with plane four-walled transverse pockets having openings at the sides and openings and slots in the bottom of the bolster and resting on said springs, stabilizing means housed in the bolster pockets comprising friction shoes with upwardly and inwardly sloping inner faces mounted in opposite sides of said pockets, hollow open-bottom wedge members arranged in said pockets between and in contact with the sloping inner faces of the shoes for urging the upper surfaces of the shoes into bolster top contact and the outer faces into frictional contact with non-movable portions of the truck adjacent the shoe outer faces; said wedge members having associated centrally positioned downwardly extending portions provided with depending extensions, a spring encircling said central portion of each wedge member and exerting upward pressure on the wedge member, a spring-supporting plate in each bolster bottom opening for supporting said last mentioned spring, said plates being supported and maintained flush with the bolster bottom by the load springs and having openings for passage of said depending extensions of the wedge downwardly extending portions, said plates at each end having upwardly extending portions disposed through said slots in the bolster bottom with one of said extending portions having a T-head for interengaging the bolster bottom while the other extension is arranged to have exteriorly applied retaining means, one of said load springs being arranged in upward pressing relation with said depending extension of each wedge memher and exerting upward pressure on the wedge member to exert variable pressure on said shoes.

12. In a railway car truck provided with load spring supporting means and friction wear plates; load springs seated on said means, a bolster with plane four-walled transverse pockets in each end with openings at the sides and in the bottom fioor resting on said springs, stabilizing means housed in the bolster pockets comprising friction shoes with upwardly and inwardly sloping inner ends mounted in opposite ends of said pockets, hollow open bottom wedge members arranged over the bottom openings in said bolster pockets between and pressure contacting the angular inner ends of the shoes for urging the upper surfaces of said shoes into bolster pocket top wall contact and the outer faces into frictional contacts with the friction wear plate of the truck adjacent the shoe outer faces, said wedge member having an associated centrally positioned downwardly extending pendant portion contacting a variable spring extension member, a constant friction spring supporting plate in the bolster bottom floor opening supported by said load springs and provided with an opening for insertion of said spring exten sion member, coil springs in pressure relation with said wedge member, one of said springs being seated on said spring supporting plate and inv constant pressure exerting relation with the wedge top floor, the other of said springs being seated on the load spring supporting means with its top adapted to exert upward pressure on said spring extension member and wedge pendant and thereby produce variable pressure on said Wedge and friction shoes, the vertically positioned variable friction spring operating exllternally of bolster end pockets and under said vertically positioned constant friction spring, which with wedge and friction shoes operate interlorly of the bolster end pockets, said wedge, constant and variable springs having a common vertical center.

13. In a railway car truck provided with load spring supporting means, load spring means seated on said spring supporting means, and a bolster having adjacent its ends plane fourwalled transverse pockets with openings at the sides and in the bottom floor resting on said spring means, stabilizing means housed in the bolster pockets, comprising friction shoes with upwardly and inwardly sloping inner faces mounted in opposite sides of said pockets, hollow open bottom wedge members arranged in said bolster pockets positioned between and contacting the angular inner faces of the shoes for urging the upper surface of the shoes into bolster top floor contact and the outer faces into frictional contacts with non-movable portions of the truck adjacent the shoes outer faces, each wedge member having a centrally located depending portion aligned with the bolster bottom opening, a spring supporting plate for each bolster bottom opening, a constant pressure spring and a variable pressure spring associated with said wedge means, said variable spring being seated on the load spring supporting means with its upper end adapted to contact said depending portion of the wedge member and exert upward variable pressure on said wedge member, said constant spring being seated on said spring supporting plate and extending upwardly into constant pressure contact with said wedge member, said spring supporting plate being upwardly seatable in and contacting a recessed bolster floor portion and operating flush with the bolster floor and being so maintained by said load springs, said spring supporting plate having an opening for passage of an extension of the de pending portion of the wedge member, said spring supporting plate having upwardly extending end projections arranged to be inserted into bolster floor slots, one of the inner projections having a head portion that is adapted to effect interlocking engagement with the bolster floor slot, while the other projection is adapted to receive externally applied retaining means, whereby the plate may be held in a suspended position during stabilizing means assembly.

14. In a railway car truck provided with load spring supporting means and shoe wear plates, load springs seated on said spring supporting means, a bolster having, adjacent its ends, plane four-walled transverse pockets with openings at the bolster sides and in the bottom floor and resting on said springs, stabilizing means housed in the bolster pockets, comprising friction shoes with upwardly and inwardly sloping inner ends mounted in opposite sides of said pockets, hollow open bottom wedge members over said floor openings arranged in said bolster pockets operating between and pressure contacting the angular inner ends of the shoes for urging said upper surfaces of the shoes into bolster pocket top contact and the outer shoe faces into frictional contacts with said shoe wear plates of the truck adjacent the shoe outer faces, spring supporting means positioned in the bolster floor opening and operating flush with the bolster bot- 12 tom supported by said load springs and having a central opening, springs pressure contacting said wedge member with simultaneous upward pressure, one of said springs being seated on said spring supporting means and disposed upwardly within the wedge member and exerting constant upward pressure on the wedge member, while the other spring is seated below the bolster, a pedestal member extending upwardly through said spring supporting means operatively intermediate said last mentioned spring and said wedge member whereby variable upward pressure may be transmitted to said wedge member all of said springs being vertically aligned and each directly pressure contacting the wedge member with simultaneous different pressures.

15. In a railway car truck bolster stabilizer, the combination of a truck assembly with wear plates and load carrying springs seated in said truck beneath the bolster; a bolster supported by said springs and provided with transversely disposed pockets at the ends open at the bolster sides, with an opening through the bolster bottom centrally of each pocket and openings through the bolster bottom adjacent the pockets; a hollow wedge block with downward outwardly sloping ends and closed top and seated within the pocket over the bolster bottom opening and having an open bottom and a centrally disposed pendant integral with and extending from the top wall of the wedge block into proximity with the bolster bottom opening and provided with a lower extension; a centrally apertured spring supporting closure member for said bolster bottom opening supported on said load springs flush with the bolster bottom and provided with upstanding arms adapted to extend into the bolster openings adjacent the pockets; vertically aligned friction springs consisting of a vertically disposed coil spring arranged about the pendant in the wedge block in constant nonvarying pressing relation with the top wall of the wedge block and seated on said spring supporting member; a second coil spring seated in the truck assembly beneath the bolster and adapted to effect direct upward pressure relation with the lower extension of said wedge pendant to provide variable pressure on said wedge block as the bolster load increases without affecting the first mentioned constant pressure spring; friction blocks, with sloping inner ends matching the wedge block arranged in the bolster pockets on each side of the wedge blocks in contact therewith and adapted to extend through the 2 side openings in the bolster to efiect frictional contact with said wear plates of the truck assembly; and means cooperating with said spring supporting closure member arms and the bolster bottom whereby said closure member and the superposed constant spring will be suspendingly held beneath the bolster and the wedge block relieved of upward pressure when the bolster is out of contact with the load carrying springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 972,921 Ritler Oct. 18, 1910 2,365,199 Light Dec. 19, 1944 2,392,599 Light Jan. 8, 1946 2,413,458 Light Dec. 31, 1946 2,446,506 Barrett et a1 Aug. 3, 1948 2,485,973 Lehrman Oct. 25, 1949 

